CHAPTER 15: FIRST QUARREL VI
Inside the car was silent as no one dared to talk. Diana stared at the man beside her and watched as he leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed. She could see the tiredness marring his beautiful face and felt her heart ache for him.
Because of her he did not have a good night's sleep and he had worked till this time probably to avoid her she wasn't sure which. Her eyes traced down from his face to the few open buttons at the top of his chest, she could see his well muscled and sinewed chest. Even the hairs on his chest stood proudly just like every other thing about the man.
Diana swallowed and averted her gaze from his chest. She also noticed that his shirt had creases on them probably from working this long. His trousers too had the same marks. His shirt was folded twice at the hand to reveal strong and powerful wrists and long slender fingers that looked very beautiful. She shifted her gaze back to his face, the only place she wanted to look at.
The man was just complete, like God really took his time in creating him. She wondered what it would feel like if she traced her fingers along his powerful and mesmerizing features.
Diana shook her head as if to shake such thoughts away from her. She shrank to the end of the seat and sat quietly. The last thing she wanted to do was infuriate him any further.
When they got inside the house, the fresh aroma of the food Diana had cooked earlier hit them. Diana observed that Nicodemus had re-heated the food for their return, for that she was grateful to him.
Jared first rushed to the table to have enough inhalation of the food aroma before anyone sat down to eat.
When they got to the dining, James drew out his chair at the begining of the table and sat down. Jared took his seat too after he felt he had inhaled enough. Angelo was scared of taking a seat because he had never sat down to eat with his Boss before until Diana urged him to sit. He looked at his Boss first and when he did not get any reaction he sat down but, he was far from comfortable.
Diana took her seat at her husband's left hand side, James turned to stare at her obviously surprised but did not say anything. He only nodded silently in approval.
Diana cast a glance at James, ''i didn't know what you liked so i prepared a little of everything''.
''Awww!" Jared said from his seat, "how sweet of you sister-in-law to...."
''ouch!" Jared suddenly yelped and looked at his brother. He had given him a kick from under the table to keep quiet.
''Are you okay, Jared?" Diana's voice rang from opposite him.
''Yes sweet sister-in-law, just a sharp pain. I nearly thought it was a mosquito".
James smirked as he looked at him, giving him the you-will-hear-it-from-me-tomorrow look.
Jared smiled fawningly at his brother but James paid him the least attention.
Diana took a plate to serve him. Before she put a food in his plate, she first asked if he liked it and if he nodded or responded with an 'hmm' she would place the food directly for him. Diana went on like that until he had enough of the filling. She set the plate down before him carefully and said ''eat well''. James nodded and started eating silently as Diana watched with a smile on her face.
''Well sister-in-law are you not going to serve me too'', Jared murmured. James kicked him again only this time it was more painful than the last. Jared felt his leg go numb.
He smiled and said to Diana, "i was just kidding sister-in-law". He took the spoon and served himself, Angelo did the same too. It was only Jared and Diana that chatted lightly till dinner was over.
The maids tactfully came to clear the plates the moment they finished eating. James turned to Nicodemus. ''Nick, prepare a room for my brother and secretary''.
"Yes Sir". He bowed slightly and left.
James stood up and turned to walk upstairs. Diana saw him leaving and bade the rest goodnight and walked upstairs with him. They walked into their room as Diana shut the door behind them.
Diana observed that he still wasn't talking or even looking at her. She stood still at the same spot unsure of what to do. Just while she was contemplating on the next step to take so he would talk to her, she heard the bathroom door shut. It was only then that she came back to her senses.
Few minutes later, Diana still stood at the same spot, staring blankly at the closed bathroom door. It seemed like she was planning on doing something nasty like heading into the shower and taking a bath with him, so he would no longer be angry with her. 'Maybe it might work, she thought'.
But at the last minute, just as she was about to open the bathroom door, she decided against it and shrank back. What the hell was she even thinking.
She went to the sofa and sat down waiting patiently for him to get off the bathroom.
James changed into his Pj's and walked directly to the bed and laid down. He practically ignored her even when he knew fully well that she was waiting for him. He was usually a light sleeper because he had a lot of nightmares whenever he slept so all the years he had avoided sleeping much so he didn't dream, his body had gotten used to it so just 3-4hrs rest was okay for him. He stuffed a pillow between his legs and closed his eyes with another one above his head. Diana watched on but did not say anything.
On second thought, James stood up again and walked out of the room directly with a pillow and blanket. Diana blinked as she saw him walking out of the room with those materials and felt guilty again she couldn't stop him at that moment. She went into the bathroom to shower and wash of the grime of the night.
James headed to his study and shut the door lightly behind him. He first opened his phone and saw a message from Antonio, briefing him about all that happened today. His eyes darkened immediately and a scowl appeared on his face.
''Look for those people Angelo, if they have businesses, cross it off from the history of Canary Wharf''. James sent a copy of Antonio's report and his own message to his secretary.
Angelo's reply was quick. "Yes boss". James switched off his phone and found a comfortable place on his sofa and laid down.
He had just slept when the door to his study opened. James quickly stood up. He picked the light remote from where he kept it earlier, on the table beside him and switched on the light.
The light revealed Diana standing there in the middle of the room in her nighties. Those dreaded nighties of hers. Just looking at the nighties made the scowl that had just appeared on his face worsen. It was long and baggy with an ugly bunny sewn at the center.
Diana didn't want to come here in the first place, she had been fighting with herself whether to come here or not then she had finally summoned her last bit of courage. But getting here now and seeing that scowl on his face, she felt all the courage she built up earlier wither away.